Heat Wave / Power Outage

It has been incredibly hot lately. Thank goodness for the breeze and wind gusts. If I am not outside by 8:00 a.m. it gets too hot to water all the trees. The heat has done a number on them and with the wind, they are shedding their leaves as though it was fall.

Today was the first time in a long time that there has been low water pressure. The water coming out of the faucet was also warm even though it was on the cold setting. It remained that way until late in the afternoon.

I have been cleaning my 32-gallon rain catchment barrels (trash cans) as soon as I empty one I fill them up with Del Rio City Water whose source is San Felipe Springs. We are very fortunate to have this true gem as our border city neighbor to the south...Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila - México has to rely on the Rio Grande for their drinking water.

San Antonio is already under Stage 1 - water restrictions as many other Texas towns so we are lucky in that respect.

With this heat wave, I have been doing some yard work but just a little at a time. The only plus to being in a severe drought is that it has kept the weeds at bay. If only it would also kill those darn mesquite trees!!!

I had just taken a shower and had sat down to watch the 4:00 p.m. news. The nice cold A/C was blowing in my face and I started to doze off when the power went out at 4:16 p.m. I could not believe it! Why did I not lower the A/C earlier so the house could stay colder longer in case of that eventuality?

After I while I went outside and I heard someone's window unit running. Mr. Joe's wife was watering her lawn so I asked her from my side of the street if her power had gone out. She said she did not know but would go check...it had gone out. Though it seemed that the neighbors in the back of her house (the next street over) still had their electricity on...that is why we could hear the window units still operating.

Our landline telephones are electric so I could not use them to report the outage. When I found my cellphone it only had a 20 percent charge plus I did not have the number to report it to. Instead found my solar lights and took them outside to charge. One of those lights has the ability to also charge cellphones and tablets.

Power outages are common in southern Val Verde County the last one was just a couple of days ago and lasted six hours. We were fortunate that the power came back on at 5:09 p.m. after only 53 minutes.

We had a low of 81 a high of 108 with a heat index of 115 degrees. This weekend is going to be extremely hot in the Southern States. Stay inside and be safe.

Good night. May you all have Terlingua Dreams.


Aunty Acid Saying of the Day

Wonderful temperatures / Mr. Joe's wife / Late Night Comedy Shows

We have been having some wonderful temperatures with highs only in the '70s. I have had the windows open during the day to air out the house.

Wednesday I was picking up trash along the outer fence line when Mr. Joe's wife came out and we spoke from a safe distance...me from my side of the street while she stood by her driveway. I had my mask as well as gloves on. I had to ask her to repeat some stuff as she speaks in a low voice.

Bottom line she told me that there was a lot of tree and roof damage in the city and her mother's house had broken windows.  Her mom is a real sweet lady every time she would see me would hug and kiss me like I was a family member...too bad this pandemic did away with all that :-(

I am so glad the late-night comedy shows are back on the air albeit from the safety of their own homes.  I have to thank Jimmy Fallon for being the first to go live as the others soon followed.  I am more of a Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers fan but thankful for anyone that can make me laugh and de-stress me in this current nightmare we are all living.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.


Aunty Acid Saying of the Day

Mr. Joe's wife / Pollito / Heavy downpours

I mentioned on a prior post that Mr. Joe, mother's nice neighbor mowed along the outer fence line.  We have so many darn litterbugs that throw their trash out their car window but I had not had a chance to go pick it up.

Trash day in this part of the county is on Wednesday.  Looked out the window and the sky was really dark so decided to hurry up and go pick up the trash before the storms began.  Mr. Joe's wife came out rolling her own container to the curve and we got to talking.

Turns out she also goes to Ciudad Acuña for pretty much the same thing I do...doctors, labs, the vet and groceries.  The only difference is I go in the mornings or at noon and she prefers late in the afternoon. Told me she got home at 11:00 p.m. the other night after spending two and a half hours in line.

Pollito (the lawn man) drove by in his 18 wheeler dump truck and stopped to join the conversation though this is a narrow street and he was blocking a lane.  He asked me when I wanted him to come mow the weeds.  I told him in May but only if the ground was not wet because he had left ruts the last time from his tractor.  Also threw in that I would prefer if he could get it done in one or two days so it would all grow out evenly.  Last time it took him two and a half months...grrrrrrrrr!!

All of a sudden the skies opened up and we received a very heavy downpour. Thus, I did not get to pick up all the trash I had intended as we all headed different directions seeking cover.  By the afternoon the sun was out and we had beautiful blue skies while the temperatures were still in the '70s.  I knew it was going to probably be the last Spring Day we would enjoy in a while. Today as well as for the coming days we are expected to be in the '90s...sigh!... :-(

Last night I was so tired I fell asleep watching an NBA game I really wanted to see.  Was going to get up and make a post but decided my sleep was more important. I, therefore, can not wish you Terlingua Dreams because it is 1:36 p.m.  So have a nice afternoon instead.